Tool for removing truck stakes



Nov. 22, 1966 E. F. Du FAUR 3,285,988

TOOL FQR REMOVING TRUCK STAKES Filed oct. 29, 1964 'fill/4711 EDWARD F. DUFA UR,

36 Z0 A aww-W 24 H TTC/PME V5 United .States PatentN O 3,286,988 TOL FOR REMOVING TRUCK STAKES Edward F. Du Faur, 1300 Joliet St., New Orleans, La. Filed Oct. 29, 1964, Ser.No. 407,392 4 Claims. (Cl. 254-131) This invention relates to improvements in tools for removing truck stakes and, in particular, it is concerned with a lever tool that can remove either exposed or unexposed stakes.

This invention relates to the truck art and, in particular, tothe removal of the usual vertical stakes that are found on the sides Yof stake truck beds. At times it is desirable to remove these vertical stakes, which are seated in a socket, and the removal thereof has presented a problem. Such removal is desired for replacement or maintenance, or to remove completely the stakesso that a completely at, unobstructed bed is obtained, as is well understood in the art. The stakes are generally received in tapered sockets. When new, the stakes are generally hidden at the bottom within the socket itself so that there is no exposed part that can be contacted, which presents a difculty in the removal of the stake. The use ofpry bars and the like is undesirable, since it tends to chew up the wooden sides of the stake. Further, when the stakes do eventually protrude at the bottom from the socket, it is not desirable to hammer them out with a maul, or the like, since this tends to mushroom the ends interfering both with the withdrawal of the stake from the socket and with future insertion of the stake in said socket.

By means of this invention, there has been provided a hand lever which can be simply operated by relatively unskilled workmen. The hand lever is designed to hook over the truck rails and present a working surface which can be rotated either to contact exposed truck stakes or stakes which are hidden within the socket. A dowel is provided which can reach into the socket and contact the bottom of the stake, or a at surface on the opposite side of the work surface can be used to contact exposed stakes. A long handle is further provided so that a good deal of pressure can be brought to bear on the work surface, which is supported from a yoke so that a high degree of force can be employed.

Through the use of the hand tool, a simple, yet rugged means has been provided that can be employed by relatively Iunskilled workmen to remove stakes in practically any condition of wear. The tool is simple to operate and is relatively inexpensive and has no complicated parts subject to misuse.

The above features are objects of this invention and further objects will appear in the detailed description which follows and will be otherwise apparent to those skilled in the art.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the stake removal tool;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view and side elevation of the support and work surface of the tool;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the support and the dowel portion of the work surface;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken in axial section of the work portion of the tool and showing its connection to the support through a rotary collar;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view showing the use of the tool in removing the stake having an exposed bottom from a truck body and supporting socket; and

FIGURE 6 is a view taken similarly to FIGURE 5 but showing the use of the tool in removal of a stake having an unexposed bottom that is received within the support socket.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows the Patented Nov. 22, 1966 tool of this invention generally referred to by the reference numeral 10. The tool comprises as its main parts an elongated handle 12, a U-shaped support member 14, supported by a rotating collar 16 upon the shaftand a worksurface 18.

The handle 12 is provided with a boss means comprising stops 20 and 22 receiving the rotating collar 16 therebetween. The U-shaped support 14, as best shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, is pivotally supported upon the rotating collar by a sleeve 24. A bight portionv 26 of the U-shaped support ts within said sleeve and is rotatable therewith. The U-shaped support has a pair of arms 28 and 30 provided with hooks 32 and 34, which are adapted to grasp rails or other portions of the truck body, and to be anchored thereover.

The worksurface 18 of the tool is best shown in FIG-` URES 2, 3 and 4, where it is seen that a dowel 36 is provided on one side of the tapering worksurface connected at the end of the handle. The other side 38 is at and of relatively expanded or diverging form from its connection with the handle at the stop member 20 to provide a large working area. t

Use: The tool of this invention is shown in use in FIGURES 5 and 6. In FIGURE 5 it is shown with the U-shaped support member hooked over a rub rail 40 that is formed as a conventional part of a truck body. A stake 42 is shown supported in a tapered socket 44 that is secured to the side rail 46 of the truck. The stake 42, having the exposed lower end 48, is very simply removed by hooking the U-shaped support over the rub rail in the manner shown. Subsequently, the worksurface 38 of the tool is applied against the bottom of the stake and the operator brings force to bear on the end of the handle to operate it in the direction of the arrow clockwise about the shaft 26 of the support 14. A great deal of force can be brought to bear and the stake is removed with relative ease, and without damage.

FIGURE 6 shows the operation for removal of a stake 42 that has its 'bottom end 50 hidden within the socket 44. In this operation the handle is rotated about the collar to present the dowel worksurface 36 in the upward position. The dowel is brought to bear inside the socket against the bottom of the stake, and the handle is operated in the previously described fashion to force the stake upwardly and out of the socket 44.

The above described operations are performed readily and simply and without damage to the bottom of the stakes so that they can be used over and over again. The tool is rugged, and through its construction of steel and with a relatively long handle, a great deal of force can be employed by relatively unskilled workmen with practically no training.

Various changes and modifications may be made in this invention as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for removing stakes from sockets held therein by a tapered tit, said device comprising a hand lever having a handle portion and a stake contacting portion and an anchor means constituting a fulcrum for said lever adapted to connect an intermediate portion of said hand lever to a support adjacent said socket whereby said lever may be used as a pry to apply force -against said stake to urge it out of said socket, said stake contacting portion having a first broad surface adapted to contact an exposed stake end and a second surface having a dowel element adapted to it within said socket and contact a protected end of said stake, and means rotatably mounting said stake contacting portion with respect to said ful- Crum, to thereby selectively engage said stake with said first or second surface.

Z. A device for removing stakes from sockets held therein by a tapered fit, said ldevice comprising a hand lever having a handle portion and a ystake contacting portion and an anchor means constituting a fulcrum for said lever adapted to connect an intermediate portion olf said hand lever to a support adjacent said socket whereby said lever may be used as `a pry to apply force against said stake to urge it out of said socket, said stake contacting portion having a first broad surface adapted to contact an exposed stake end ,and a `second surface having ,a dowel element adapted to t Within said socket;` and contact a protected end of said stake, and means rotatably mounting said stake contacting portion with respect to said fulcrum, to thereby selectively engage said stake with said first or second surface, said means comprising a collar connected to said anchor means rotatably received upon said hand lever.

3. A device for removing truck body stakes held in a 20 a fulcrum for said lever adapted to support said lever ele- 25 ment upon said truck adjacent said socket, said stake contacting portion having a rst broad surface adapted to contact .an exposed stake end and a second surface having a dowel element adapted to iit within said socket Iand contact a protected end of said stake, and means rotatably 30 mounting said stake contacting portion with respect to said fulcrum, to thereby selectively engage said stake with said first or second sunface.

4. A device for lremoving truck body stakes held in a tapered tit in sockets mounted at the side of a trucky bed, said device compri-sing ra rigid elongated lever element having a handle portion at one end and a stake contacting portion at the other end and 1an anchor means constituting t contact an exposed stake end and a second surface having a dowel element adapted to it within said socket and contact ya protected end of said stake, and means for rotatably mounting said stake contacting portion with respect to said fulcrum, to thereby selectively engage said stake with said first or second surface, said anchor means comprising y a generally U-shaped bracket constituting a pair of legs having means for .anchoring upon said truck bed, and said means for rotating said work surface comprising a collar rotatably received Iupon said lever rotatablyconnecting said bracket thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 300,968 6/ 1884 Hatfield 254-131 X i 1,311,836 7/1919 Norris 254-131 Y4,855,537 4/1932 Zachary 254-131 t 2,540,388 2/ 1951 -Dreeben 254-131 FOREIGN PATENTS 804,426 4/19571 Germany.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR REMOVING STAKES FROM SOCKETS HELD THEREIN BY A TAPERED FIT, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A HAND LEVER HAVING A HANDLE PORTION AND A STAKE CONTACTING PORTION AND AN ANCHOR MEANS CONSTITUTING A FULCRUM FOR SAID LEVER ADAPTED TO CONNECT AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID HAND LEVER TO A SUPPORT ADJACENT SAID SOCKET WHEREBY SAID LEVER MAY BE USED AS A PRY TO APPLY FORCE AGAINST SAID STAKE TO URGE IT OUT OF SAID SOCKET, SAID STAKE CONTACTING PORTION HAVING A FIRST BROAD SURFACE ADAPTED TO CONTACT AN EXPOSED STAKE END AND A SECOND SURFACE HAVING A DOWEL ELEMENT ADAPTED TO FIT WITHIN SAID SOCKET AND CONTACT A PROTECTED END OF SAID STAKE, AND MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID STAKE CONTACTING PORTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID FULLCRUM, TO THEREBY SELECTIVELY ENGAGE SAID STAKE WITH SAID FIRST OR SECOND SURFACE. 